Biz Stone of Twitter demonstrated remarkable wisdom in choosing this image designed by Australian-based Yiying Lu to be the visual that pops up when the system has a brain fart and overloads (read my interview with Miss. Lu here .)
Just check that blissed out whale!
With his furiously flapping feathered friends keeping him aloft, the Fail Whale is taking out a second to let go. Meanwhile Twittaholics are slamming fists into cubicle desks and throwing Blackberries across the room in frustration, Fail Whale is taking a sec to smell the seafoam.
This is what enlightened folk call "moments of grace" (I made it pink for you so it would have an extra pretty ring to it...maybe italics would work as well...?) Moments of grace people! That's the secret, I'm told, to all of this world and everything in it (no, not The Secret, sheesh do I look like an Amway fruitloop to you?)
These moments are mini celebrations of your own awesomeness and the awesomeness of others and life. Instead of waiting for the big revelation, it turns out, the happiest people in the world get off on the little things.
How To Get Happy!
- Shake Up Your View: 2,000 years ago, the Greek philosopher Epictetus said, "We are disturbed not by events, but by the views that we take of them" so seize your brain (not like, seizure. like take control of the steering wheel) and start spin doctoring to yourself. Look on the bright side, just as an exercise, you might find you like it.
- Deep End Plunging: Depression is characterised by slow thinking, seriously, scientists figured this out. So you have to start speeding up the synapses and the best way to get your noggin crackling is to jump out of your comfort zone. Take up a DIY project or do a sudoku puzzle (jeez I hate those things) or whatever gets your mind racing, you know you're doing it right when you are "absorbed" by the activity.
- Connect: You already knew this one, but just a cheery reminder to let you know your friends are friends with you cos they like you, so it is these people you need to be good to and turn to for some comic relief. Fine and well to have a whinge to them when things are crap, but trust me, everyone benefits if you try to say your piece and move on to a thoroughly hilarious gas bag about someone else's miseries.
- Magic Moments: I'm not telling you to get up at 5:30 am and greet the sun everyday like my grandma's neighbour used to do every morning, on her balcony with strange music blaring through my bedroom window... naked. But if that works for you, great. I'm just saying, stuff is pretty awesome if you take out a moment to appreciate it. Life is busy, I understand but a moment to be appreciative of something or someone is not too much to ask (and it sets the happy bugs off in your head... you know, the little ones that pump endorphins into your system... yes, we like the bugs.)
So take a tip from our fishy mate here and start noticing the good in your world. Get blissful. Cheer up. Have a giggle. Otherwise just kill yourself. Nobody minds propping you up once in a while but our wings are getting tired, your moment has passed.
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